This year, I have been occupied with my husband, Steve Ryals, health. He knew that something was terribly wrong when he wrote these poems in December, 2012.

We decided to get a place in the Santa Cruz area to be closer to our daughter, Christina, because she was going to have a baby. Towards the end of year, Steve had some growths on his neck (and other places) that were growing rapidly. He decided to go with an oncologist in Santa Cruz. He was told that there was a 70% cure rate with the type of Lymphoma that he had. His first 4 chemo sessions seems to go well–in fact, he was declared cancer free. However, his 5th and 6th chemo treatments took him to the depths of hell. He got an infection in his blood and had to spend 9 days in the hospital. Things never really got better… He crossed over September 14th peacefully in our home.

Eat life with both hands
Rip off huge hunks
Rend each day into savory hunks
Relish and drool over each moment
Holler with utter abandon at the absurd joy
That living full out brings

This motley stew of memories,
Always fading like a sepia photo of
no one in particular

This relentless cascade of seasons and friends
And beauty, and death, of loving and being loved

12.18.12

What else is there to say?
Have I told you about the time
I skipped through countless
Lives In the blink of a crooked smile?

Or the universe in which
All I seemed to do was
Scatter stars like seeds and
Watch them grow into lovely
Little universes of their own?

This life has galloped by
Like a horse bolting
From the stable where
Old stories rot into clear air.

Where fantasies of fear Molder,
But jesus people eat ‘em.

This moment rocks my world
Scatters tears like fireworks
Hammers my despair into yesterday
Leaves me gasping like the first
Fish to head up the beach…

12.19.12

We chatter our stories
Like drunken chipmunks
Ignoring winter lolling
About in the warm sun
Convincing ourselves that
The wolf is at someone else’s door

This random collection of scratching
Signifying communication but
Really only holding back tomorrow’s
Tide for an eye-blink, a breath,
One lingering kiss before good-night…

12.19.12

One day as I’m walking along
Dazed and confused
The staff of life
Thocks up the back of my head

The old guy wielding the staff
Sermons spittle mad as Donald
Messes with my concentration
Makes me lose my place in the day

Knocks me clear into next week
Where I’ll be having a blast
Going on about some past life
That never was…

Dazed and confused, what a comfort
I think, ignorance, bliss, it’s all
The same when the light gets
Bright enough and invites me home…

12.19.12

Our many lives swim like dolphins
I the endless inland sea

Surfacing to spin and play as
Innocents, starfields sparkling through ocean depths,
Why lie under the ancient sky
Oohing at the falling stars
Wondering who they are,
Could be brothers from another mother
Or an old friend just passing by

Oh these lives so precious
We just eat ‘em up
Suck out the marrow
Good to the last drop

We’ve played through the eons
Danced our lives away under those stars
Let’s go soon, I think, infinity is waiting

12.19.12

Live Your Meditation Like it is Going Out of Style

When I woke up in heaven
Throngs were rushing breathlessly about
Offering greetings and hugs like long-lost lovers

My own throng near knocked me down
In their enthusiasm like big dogs
Filled with incomprehensible quantities
Of puppy-like adulation and unconditional love

“Wait a second!” I squeaked feeling
Overwhelmed and a tiny bit shy
”Give me some space” just as everyone
Laughed and moved back a smidgen

When I caught my metaphorical breath
And looked around and saw everyone I’ve ever
Loved (well, those who predeceased us) smiling
And laughing and nudging each other, saying, “Wow!
Steve’s here… let the party commence!!!”

And so it came to pass that we partied
Our asses off until the cows came home
(assless as well… didn’t realize that
Cows partied that hard).

Then every part of me got loved up,
Adored, appreciated and forgiven, as though it
Had never happened, because, as it turns out,
The only thing that ever REALLY happens
Is the love we give and the love we receive.

So before your time on this zany funhouse
We call Earth has drawn to a close
(game over!) make sure you love with your
Whole heart—let it break open and love em
Bigger—there is never, ever to much love,
(and conveniently, don’t you think?) it’s the only thing
We take with us, as it’s always and forever
Our birth and death right…

12.22.12

Steve was my beloved compadre, partner, lover, friend, and husband. I will miss him dearly.

Did you know that from Halloween through Super Bowl Sunday (the National Eating Season) a large part of the population gains around 10 pounds? First, there is Halloween with all the candy … then Thanksgiving and all the stuffing. And if that wasn’t enough—next is the Christmas season with cookies, cakes, and those special drinks (eggnog, anyone?). Then, there is celebrating the New Year. Last and not least is Super Bowl Sunday around the end of January. During this three month period there are innumerable parties with friends and family, including insane quantities of food and alcohol. Whew, just thinking about it gives me a stomach ache.

But wait; there is something you can do! Ta da (drum roll)—Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). If you haven’t used EFT to eat less and to help resist cravings, then you are missing out on this extra powerful tool.

How might someone start using EFT to control binge eating? One way to begin would be to tap on your unwillingness to miss out on any of the goodies coming your way through the rest of the year. For example, you could tap on the karate chop point on the side of your hand (see energy chart on my site), saying something like:

There is a part of me that feels like I deserve all of the goodies that are offered to me, and I don’t want to say “no” to any of them …

No one can make me not eat any of the goodies that I have been looking forward to all year …

There is a part of me that feels like I don’t want to control myself around any of the treats that are going to be available the rest of the year …

If your inner child is anything like mine, she feels like she deserves it ALL. Oh yeah, you might want to add at the end of one or more of the above statements:

I forgive myself for pigging out in the past

I forgive myself for being out of control with goodies and treats—I really was doing the best I could at that time

Then you would tap the points on your body with Reminder Phrases like:

Out-of-control partier

I have tended to overdo it

I can’t seem to get enough

I want to stuff myself like a sausage

I want my share

No one can stop me

Only I can stop myself

I don’t know that I want to stop—that would mean I would miss out

Maybe I could eat with awareness

I choose to eat with awareness

Let’s say you are going to a party where there is going to be a buffet or potluck as well as drinking. Here are some tips that may be helpful. First: you may want to use EFT to help you deal with the situation that you imagine you will be tempted with. Let’s say you tend to hang around the table with the food, and sample everything until you are stuffed. You could tap before leaving the house, saying something like, Even though:

In the past, I have hung out at the buffet table, and have piled food as high as I could, I deeply and completely love and accept myself

I have stuffed myself like a little pig …

I seem to get out-of-control around all of the goodies at parties …

I have ended up feeling uncomfortable from eating more than my body needs …

Then you would tap on the points of your body (see chart) while saying something like:

I eat more than I need at parties

I just can’t seem to get enough while I’m eating

It almost seems like I am trying to make sure I get my share

I can’t get enough

I want all that I can eat

I stuff myself like a piggy

Maybe there is a part of me that feels more comfortable eating than visiting

I want to eat less at this event

No I don’t—I want to get my fair share

Yes, I choose to be aware and to eat less

After you do a round of tapping, then you check and see if you still have a charge when you think about going to the party and being out of control with your eating. If you still have a charge, then tap some more.

Of course, your words may be different than the ones I am using here. These are just to help you get started. What has been your truth about eating and drinking during the National Eating Season? If you can get in touch with why you have been overeating, and clear it with tapping, you can go through this winter (not to mention the rest of your life) without gaining weight. With awareness and intent, you can change your pattern. It just takes forethought, follow-through and some tapping to change your experience so you are in control of your eating—not just during this season but throughout the year.

So, you had fun last night partying your brains out, and now you’re paying the devil his due. You have a hangover or, at the least, you don’t feel like doing anything. Well, if you’re interested in having a different experience, you’re in luck. There is something you can do to feel better quickly.

Now, pour yourself a glass of filtered water and have pencil and paper handy. If you don’t feel up to getting out of bed, you can get the water later. That’s right, you can do this lying in bed. Usually, I do EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) sitting up, but it will work in any position.

Assess the intensity of your issue (hangover, headache or whatever), with 10 being the most intense, 0 meaning you feel fine, and 5 in the middle. Write down the number. The more specific you are the better.

For example, I have a pressure in my head behind my eyes and it feels as though my head is going to explode. The intensity is a 10. Write it down or remember the number.

Oh yes, sometimes if you have a headache or hangover, tapping on your head and face doesn’t feel good. If that is the case for you, you can touch or massage each point gently.

Just about everyone is at least a little skeptical about EFT. So, to counter that, start with something like, Even though I don’t think this will work, I accept myself anyway You say this 3 times while tapping on the Karate Chop Point on the side of your hand. Or you may say something like, Even though part of me doesn’t think this will work, I totally and completely love and accept myself. Again, you would say this 3 times while tapping on the Karate Chop Point. I find this step to be helpful even for people who know for sure that it will work.

Next you do the Set-up Phrase for the issue—which is not feeling good after having taken too much of something into your body. Again you will tap on the Karate Chop Point saying, Even though I partied too much last night, I accept myself. Feel free to change the words to make it more appropriate for your situation. Also, if you notice any feelings coming up around the situation, you can include those feelings. Maybe you are feeling disappointed that you drank too much after promising yourself you weren’t going to. The set-up phrase might be, Even though I feel disappointed that I got drunk again when I had promised myself I wouldn’t, I still love and accept myself.

Personally I like to use humor when tapping. I find that humor can help release pent-up emotions much more quickly. Also, adding colorful language (cuss words) is another personal favorite. If that sounds good to you, spice your tapping up with cussing. Otherwise, well, don’t.

Now it is time to tap. If you have tapped before, use your usual points. If you are new to tapping and you don’t know which points to use, you can Google EFT Tapping Points or you can use this chart. Start with your first point, and say a phrase that sums the whole thing up. For example, drunk again, and tap around 7 times. Remember, if tapping doesn’t feel good to your head, touch or gently the spot. Then repeat tapping on each of the points saying your Reminder Phrase until you complete a round.

For the next round, do a running commentary. Start with your first tapping point, and say something like, I had a lot of fun last night. While you are talking you are tapping around 7 times on each point (and it is fine to tap more than 7 times). It is OK to run sentences together and stay longer on a point. What you are doing is driving out all of the old that isn’t working for you anymore by first recognizing it, then accepting it, and finally letting it go. Move on to the next point and continue with your story: however, I feel like sh-*t this morning. Then on to the next point, I wish I wouldn’t have drunk so much…I feel disappointed in myself again…I keep thinking that I can stop…The idea is to keep telling the story and get it all out of your energy system.

Now, check the intensity of your hangover. If it is at a 0-1, you can stop. If the intensity is still high, try tapping some more. If the intensity has gone down to around 3, then it’s time tap in positive statements. No set-up phrases are needed. Tap on your points saying something like this:

● I am grateful that I am feeling better.

● I continue to feel better throughout the day.

● I am taking it easy today.

● I allow myself to experience the joy of this moment.

● I am whole and complete.

● I remember to stay centered.

● I breathe with awareness.

● I forgive myself for overdoing it.

● I am centered.

● I love and accept myself exactly the way I am.

If you find that you are out-of-control more than you would like to be, you may want to find an EFT practitioner and deal with the issues that are triggering you to continue to overindulge.

A little over a month ago, I did some tapping with 76 year old “Charles.”. He looked pretty good for his age, though he had smoked for over 50 years, and he had emphysema. He said that he had tried to quit smoking over 40 times, and finally was able to when he went into a program for quitting smoking through Dominican.

They say to try EFT on everything. I asked Charles if he would like to try something that might make his symptoms better, and after he agreed we gave it a try.

Charles is quite a story teller, and so most of the time we spent together he told me his story. He had smoked for decades, until his increasing shortness of breath became impossible to ignore. He did a thorough job of informing me about his disease called COPD, Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease.

I showed Charles the basics about using EFT. We did a couple of rounds of tapping. We walked down a flight of stairs, and then we walked back up. I think I walked too fast up the steps for Charles, because the next thing I knew he went onto my deck and bent over catching his breath. Then he left. He said he had to get to his next appointment—he’s a salesman.

I felt terrible. As far as I was concerned, we hadn’t finished our appointment. I think he got scared or embarrassed, and decided to leave. I knew that he had an appointment, but his departure felt so abrupt to me.

A month later, I walk into our home, and there is Charles sitting on our couch talking with my husband. He was wearing an oxygen mask and smiling at me. Charles proceeded to tell me how much he appreciated what I had taught him. He said that it was really helping. He said that it was easier to cough up phlegm. He also said that his recovery time from coughing spells was faster than before our EFT session.

So, I guess the moral of the story is really to try EFT on everything and then to trust the process. It may help someone, even if it didn’t seem as though it had at the time.

Have you ever found your self enthralled by an intense movie thriller, only to become so drenched with adrenaline that you started shaking? Instead of walking (or running screaming) out of the theater, try what I did and learn how you can stay through movies as wild as The Hunger Games.

Recently my husband and I went to see The Hunger Games. Being one of the few people on Earth who hadn’t read the books, I was unprepared for the dark tone of the story, only enhanced by the incredibly detailed and realistic special effects. After finding my fingernails buried deep in my husband’s arm (just kidding … they weren’t buried thatdeeply) I found a way to make it easier for me to be in the theater.

First, I rubbed my fingertips into the karate chop point on the side of my hand. As I was kneading the karate chop point I said to myself, Even though this seems like real life, I know that it is a movie, and I love and accept myself. Even though this movie seems almost as real as life, it is only a movie, and I accept myself. Even though my adrenaline is pumping really hard, this is only a movie, and I accept myself.

Anytime during the movie I started feel so anxious that I thought I might explode, I remembered to rub the karate chop point and remind myself that it was only a movie, and it was ok that I was feeling scared.

So, you can use this for any movie (or anything else, from sitting in the dentist’s chair to taking an exam) in which you are feeling scared. Tap or rub the karate chop point on the side of your hand, and say:

Would you like to exercise more but just haven’t been able to pull it off? Are you interested in some tips on motivating yourself to exercise? EFT is incredibly powerful in dealing with all kinds of conflicts. So, if part of you wants to exercise and another part doesn’t — that could be a conflict. There may be other excuses (I mean reasons) that you have for not exercising — you want to make sure to tap on those, too.

Here’s some setup phrases that you can try, Even though:

I know exercising is good for me, a part of me just doesn’t want to do it, and I deeply and completely love and accept myself – even the lazy part.I know my body needs exercise, but I hate exercising … and I deeply and completely love and accept myself

I don’t have enough time to exercise …

I don’t know when I would fit exercising in …

there’s so many other things I would rather do than exercise …

exercise seems like a waste of time …

(Be sure to include all of your excuses and reasons why you haven’t exercised)

When you say the setup phrases, you tap on your karate chop point (which is on the meaty part of your hand) with your fingertips or hit your karate chop points together.

Before you start tapping, remember to check the intensity of how much you do not want to exercise – with 10 being highest and zero for no resistance at all. Here’s a link to the tapping points that I use.

A reminder phrase helps you focus on your issue. “Exercise resistance,” and “hate to exercise,” are examples of simple reminder phrases. If you can come up with a reminder phrase that makes youchuckle, so much the better (I find humor to be incredibly powerful). Amusing reminder phrases are very particular to the individual, so what works for one person may not work for another. Some examples of funny reminder phrases could be ”lazy butt” or “couch potato.” Use the reminder phrase when you tap. Typically, you tap around seven times on each point.

When your intensity gets down to around three, you can start affirming the positive. Some examples:

I choose to fit exercise into my life

I choose to be aware of ways that I can be more energetic

I choose to use my body more often

I have fun using my bodyI experience joy using my body

It’s easy and fun for me to move my body

I find creative ways to infuse movement into my life

I love using my body

Exercise can have a bad rap. Find ways to sneak moving your body into your life. You can do things like:

Be more aware when you move your body

Park farther away and walk more

Do housework vigorously

Choose to put the remote control down and get your body up and about more often

Put a spring in your step

Walk with more vigor

Do yard work

When I used EFT to motivate myself to exercise, I set my alarm
clock 30 minutes early, and then before I got out of bed, I would tap
on my resistance to exercising. After I cleared whatever was there for
me, I would jump out of bed and start my exercise routine. I have great
confidence that if you choose, you can find a way for EFT to work for
you.

Belinda, a woman in her middle years, recently learned that she has breast cancer. She switched to a raw foods diet and immediately started losing weight. She also started seeing different therapists. I explained to her that EFT could help her clear any conflicts that she was having, including any blocks she has to healing.

Though Belinda lives close enough that we could have done a session in person, we decided to do a phone session to save time. The way that I like doing EFT is to get to the biggest underlying issue, and for Belinda her biggest conflict centered around spending so much time taking care of her elderly parents that she hasn’t allowed time to take care of herself. The intensity of the conflict was a 10, and when I asked her where it was located in her body, she replied that it felt the most intense in her throat and third eye. Then she noticed that it had become entangled in all of her chakras.

When we did up the set-up phrases we included statements such as, “Even though:

There is a part of me that doesn’t think this is going to work, I love and accept myself.

I doubt that this will work…

It’s a juggling act with a few too many balls in the air…

I have this conflict with taking care of my parents and not taking care of myself…

I haven’t been taking care of myself…

During the first round, we used “It’s a juggling act” as her reminder phrase. I could hear her laughing when she repeated, “It’s a juggling act.” After each round of tapping I asked about the intensity level in her chakras, reminding her that it had been a 10 when we started. At the end of the first round, the intensity dropped from a 10 to an 8. We talked a little more, and it seemed that it might have continued to drop, so I repeated my question. It had dropped to a 6.

To determine what her “sweet spots” were, I asked which of the points that she had tapped on felt particularly good. She came up with four points that stood out for her (her collar bone, side of the eye, above the lip and the top of the head). I told her that in the future, when feeling any anxiety or frustration, she can tap or press on her sweet spots for instant relief.

The next round of tapping brought the intensity down to a 4. I could hear her yawning over the phone. I reminded her that yawning is a release. She said that she was feeling more relaxed as she tapped.

On the third round, she tapped on all the responsibilities that she had with her parents, and how she had forgotten about herself. She also shared how she hadn’t taken care of herself, and that she would eat a carton of Häagen-Dazs ice cream for dinner. One of her set-up phrases was, “Even though I used to eat a carton of Häagen-Dazs for dinner, I love and accept myself.” At one point as we were tapping, Belinda blurted out, “I’m important!” and so we finished the round with her tapping on “I’m important!” Her intensity dropped to a 2.

Belinda shared with me how she was getting other people involved with all of the jobs that she had been doing for her folks. She was going to continue to lessen her load and shifting her focus to taking good care of herself.

With her final round of tapping, we didn’t use any set-up phrases (because the intensity was less than 3). We started with, “I am important!” I encouraged her to come up with her own affirmations as we tapped. The affirmations included:

I am important

I remember I am important

I take good care of myself

I count

I make time for fun (she really liked this one)

The cancer is dissolving as we speak

We have fun at my Titty Party (she had told me she was going to have a breast party)

I am healthy

I am whole and complete

Belinda was really laughing after this last round. Her intensity dropped down to 0. She said that she was feeling really relaxed. I asked if she was familiar with Louise Hay’s work, and she said she had several of her books. I shared this affirmation that Louise uses for breast problems.

Caregivers have to remember to take good care of themselves or they can end up getting sick themselves. It truly is a balancing act to take care of oneself and to take care of parents. Belinda is learning how balance her own life with her obligations of taking care of her parents. Now she has EFT as a tool with which to help herself.

On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem dark. But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening underground. An inner revolution is taking place like never before. Millions of individuals around the globe are being called to a higher light.

It is a silent revolution. From the inside out. From the ground up. This is a Global operation. A Spiritual Conspiracy.

There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet.You won’t see us on the TV. You won’t read about us in the newspaper.You won’t hear about us on the radio.

We don’t seek any glory. We don’t wear any uniform. We come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles. Most of us work anonymously.

We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country and culture of the world, cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands.

You could pass by one of us on the street and not even notice. We go undercover. We remain behind the scenes.
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit but simply that the work gets done. Occasionally we spot each other in the street. We give a quiet nod and continue on our way.

During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs. But behind the false storefront, at night is where the real work takes a place. Some call us the Conscious Army.

We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and hearts. Our orders come from the Central Spiritual Intelligence. We follow with passion and joy. We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no one is looking. . .

We each express ourselves in our own unique ways, with our own unique gifts and talents. Be the change you want to see in the world. That is the motto that fills our hearts.

We know it is the only way real transformation takes place. We know that quietly and humbly we have the power of all the oceans combined.

Our work is slow and meticulous like the formation of mountains. It is not even visible at first glance, and yet with it entire tectonic plates shall be moved in the centuries to come.

Love is the new religion of the 21st century. You don’t have to be a highly educated person or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it. It comes from the intelligence of the heart, embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings.

Be the change you want to see in the world. Nobody else can do it for you.
We are now recruiting. Perhaps you will join us or already have.

Lucy was born in Milwaukee, WI, and grew up in Beans Cove, PA. She was a sergeant in the WACS during WWII proudly serving as a baker. After the war, she worked at Foremost Dairies for 19 years.

I’ve had the honor of living with my mother since her last major stroke in April. We spent a lot of time watching the hummingbirds on her patio. She enjoyed harvesting the vegetables I planted in her back yard. This last weekend, I went to Monterey, California for my daughter’s wedding. The original plan was for my mother to come, however, she was afraid the trip would kill her and decided to stay home. I felt fortunate to be with my mother in her home when she passed Monday morning.

Mass will be at St. Mary Magdalene’s, San Diego, 10 am, August 27, and followed by a procession to Greenwood Mortuary.

For those who wish, memorial donations may be made to San Diego Hospice Foundation 4311 Third Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103 in memory of Lucy M. Snodgrass.

I would love for you to join me at my art show, “It’s All Spirit”, Sunday, August 7th, 12:15 pm at the Spirit Gallery, upstairs at the Universal Spirit Center, 3858 Front Street, San Diego. I’ll be showing 12 images from my sacred land in NorCal (where I’ve lived since 1975). All of the images in this show are printed on stretched canvas and ready to hang.

I was delighted to see this in my garden.

When I saw this, it took my breath away.

This image accesses a deep feeling of stillness within.

My core spiritual belief is that God/Goddess/Spirit is all there is. My images are a portal allowing whoever looks at them to receive a spiritual transmission. It is my intent for you to feel better during and after looking at these images.

I hope you are able to join me. Feel free to call me at 707-972-7683 or email me–leave me a comment below. You can see more of my images at http://joann-skywatcher.artistwebsites.com/.

JoAnn SkyWatcher (@MiraclesGoddess on Twitter)

ps I’ve mostly shown my images on line. I’m really excited about this show because I’ll have a chance to show you see 12 of my photos on canvas (they look REALLY great!) Hope to see you there.

EFT can be done almost anywhere. Though I don’t necessarily recommend it while driving, I must admit that I did it today. I drove my 91 year old mother and her dear friend “Irene” to a casino this morning. Irene sat in front with me. She asked if I had had a bone density test, admitting that she was afraid to get one. I asked her why, and she replied that it was like an MRI, and she felt claustrophobic when she was in such close quarters. I told her that EFT could probably help her with her claustrophobia, and if she wanted, we could clear it before we got to the casino. Irene was game.

I asked her if she could remember a really bad experience when she felt closed in. She related that when she was eleven years old, she went into some very small caves with her mother, grandmother and aunt. Her grandmother had to turn back because she felt so panicky. Irene said that, just like her grandmother, she felt trapped and panicky. I asked her to imagine being in the cave now. Then I asked, What is the intensity level that you feel right now when you think about being in that cave?” She said it was a “7” (and this was 70 years after the incident).

I had my car on cruise control at about 65 miles an hour. We were past the rush hour traffic. I had done EFT with Irene a couple of years ago, so I didn’t have to explain how it works, I just told her what to say, and reminded her where to tap. I asked her if her experience in the cave was a video, how long would it be? She said only around 10 minutes. I asked her to come up with a title of that video that would make her laugh, and she came up with “Scared Stiff”. I also reminded her that she could add cuss words if she wished, and it felt right to her.

Her set-up phrases were, “Even though:

• I have uncomfortable feelings when I think about going to that cave, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.
• I still feel scared and panicky when I think about going in that cave…
• I feel surprised that I still feel stuff around being in that cave…

We did one round of tapping using “Scared Stiff” as her reminder phrase. I also encouraged her to inhale and exhale with each point that she tapped on her body — working to get it out of her energy system. After only one round, her intensity level dropped from “7” to “4”.

On her second round, she got to the point under her eye and she blurted out “Scared Shitless”. We both cracked up, so she used “Scared Shitless” as her new reminder phrase. That brought her intensity down to a “2”. I asked her how she was feeling about getting an MRI, and she answered, “Not bad at all.”

So, I encouraged her to do one last round, without set-up phrases, and tapping in the positive. Some of the phrases she used:

• I am whole and complete
• I am glad that I’ve let go of my fear of being in tight places
• I am safe
• I am safe—even in tight places
• I am safe wherever I am
• I am safe in the MRI

After the third round, I reminded her that when we started her intensity level around being in the cave was a “7”, then dropped to a “4”, and then a “2”. “What is it now?” I asked. She reported that there was nothing there. Then I asked about her fear of feeling claustrophobic while in the MRI. With a growing sense of wonder, she replied, “I don’t have any. There is nothing there.”

She said she wouldn’t be able to tap in the MRI machine because there wasn’t enough room. I told her she could just imagine tapping her points, and that should work.

We were able to clear 70 years of fear of being in tight spots in just 20 minutes while traveling down the freeway. EFT is amazing!!!

My daughter, Christina, is less than a year away from completing her studies to become a licensed acupuncturist. While we were talking on the phone recently, she mentioned that she had an EFT story to share.

One of her fellow coworkers had a fear of needles. “Rosie” was uncomfortable being needled. It turns out that Belonephobia, or fear of needles, isn’t rare. About 10% of people experience it. (How much do you like being needled?)

Rosie was advised to see an acupuncture teacher who also uses (and teaches) EFT. Rosie was happy to give EFT a try. After just one session, Rosie was excited to say that she no longer feared needles. She was surprised that she was able to let go of her intense fear of needles so quickly, as she’d terrified of needles her whole life.

Christina said that she plans on using EFT with her clients to help them let go of their fear of needles (or whatever fears and anxieties they bring into the clinic). EFT is compatible with acupuncture as well as other healing modalities including Reiki, NLP, massage, chiropractic care, and many, many more. Gary Craig said about EFT, try it on everything. Added to that phrase should be try it with everything.

My teenage nephew, Daniel, is quite knowledgeable about reptiles and arachnids. Ever since he was a little boy, when my husband, Steve, taught him how to sit really still and catch a lizard, he has been able to be fearless around snakes and spiders. Recently, however, he had a big scare with a tarantula.

While in a pet store, holding a large tarantula in a plastic container he decided to see what would happen if he blew on the spider’s rear end. Well, to his surprise, the tarantula reacted in a way that scared Daniel. Even though the tarantula was still in the plastic container, the surprising way in which the spider moved awakened an instinctual fear that flooded his body with adrenaline and freaked him out.

I asked Daniel to close his eyes and imagine holding the spider in the plastic container. Then I had him feel the dread he had experienced when the spider moved. I asked what level of fear he was feeling right then, and he said his level of intensity was 7 out of 10. The set-up phrases we used were:

Even though the animated spider scared the fricking hell out of me…

Even though I am knowledgeable of spiders and I still got scared of a spider…

Even though I felt like running…

Even though I got really scared of that spider…

After a few rounds of tapping we got his intensity level down to a 3. I asked him a few more questions and found out that he felt the strength of the spider when he moved, and that had scared him. He realized that it wasn’t a wise move to blow on the tarantula – that it wasn’t respectful of it.

So, he tapped while alternating statements like:

The strength of the spider had really scared and surprised me

It wasn’t a good idea to blow on a tarantula

Next time I’ll be more respectful of a spider

This brought his level of intensity down to a zero out of 10. We don’t know, of course, if blowing on the tarantula and that particular move will still be frightening because it was inappropriate to test it. It wouldn’t be fair to the spider. However, the next time I saw Daniel, which was several months later, he said that he didn’t feel scared of the tarantula incident and that when he thought of it he felt calm.

“Karen” found out that her husband had been cheating on her with a mutual friend for a couple of years. I had worked with her on her sadness during a mini-workshop a couple of months before, and she had gotten her sadness down to a 5 out of 10 before we ran out of time.

We were finally able to connect and to have a private EFT session, even though it had been almost six months since she initially found out that “Harry” had been having an affair. Since then she realized that Harry was no longer going to be a part of her life. He moved out, and took all of his possessions with him. He also told Karen that it was over with him and he wasn’t coming back.

When I asked what she wanted to work on, she said sadness. Her level of intensity was an 8 on a scale of 0 to 10 – where a couple of months ago it was a 5 out of 10. She thought it had risen to an 8 out of 10 because she can’t see Harry anymore, and there was a part of her that still wanted to see him. As she put both hands over her heart, she vividly described a heavy, blue, stuck feeling in her chest.

The set-up phrases that we used were

Even though I feel sad that … Harry can’t see me any more … Harry doesn’t want to be with me …I am open to him hurting me…

We did a couple of rounds of tapping and she said she felt more open. We then tapped on, Even though I can’t have Harry… and her level of intensity went to 5 out of 10. She said she felt as though there was something pressing behind it all. I asked her what was under it, and she said it was the fear of being alone.

I asked her to think of a time; as far back as she could remember when she felt afraid of being alone. She was surprised to remember when her dad left her mom when she was 3 or 4 years old. In thinking about that time the level of intensity of her fear of being alone was 8 out of 10.

After a couple of rounds of tapping on this specific event she felt a release in her chest that brought her level of intensity level to 4 out of 10 and she remembered that there always is someone there. Two more rounds of tapping brought her level of intensity to 2 out of 10 and she said that it made her more resilient. One more round brought it down to a zero out of 10, and she said that she felt strong.

We returned to the thought of “I can’t have Harry”, and checked her level of intensity, which went from 3, to 2 then to zero out of 10. Karen said that she felt calm.

I asked her if there was something else that she would like to clear, and she said that she was feeling overwhelmed with all of the things that she had to do, and that her level of intensity was 9 out of 10. I asked how she knew it was a 9, and she said that the back of her jaw was extremely tense. After a couple rounds of tapping, her level of intensity dropped from 9 to 3 out of 10, then to 1 and finally to zero. Her jaw no longer felt tense and she her feelings of being overwhelmed had disappeared.

Then Karen expressed that she was mad at Harry for lying to her for two years. Her level of intensity was 6 and I tried making jokes about Harry’s behavior as we tapped and laughed. It took only a couple of rounds of tapping and Karen said that she no longer felt any anger at Harry, but now felt pity for him. We did some positive affirmations while she tapped:

I remember to breathe

I easily find my center

I remember the Goddess that I am

I experience the love that is deep within me

I remember love is always here now

Karen walked away looking like a weight had lifted off her being. She laughed and moved in a way that looked much lighter than when we had started – just one hour before.

“Cindy” had been a client for several months. Today she told me that she hadn’t dealt with her taxes for three years. She complained that the State was after her, and feared that she wouldn’t have enough money to pay her taxes. Cindy confessed that she had resistance to making an appointment to see the tax preparer. She said that she needed to have her tax return finished and turned in by April 14—one month and one day away, and she hadn’t even made an appointment yet.

Her anxiety level was at about a 4 when she thought about doing her taxes. Then I asked her about making an appointment with a tax person, and her anxiety level shot up to a 7. When I asked Cindy if she had experienced feeling something like this in her past (other than the other times that she was slow at getting her taxes in)—where she felt the same kind of fear, anxiety and procrastination. She replied that when she was a senior in college, she had a problem finishing up her Senior Project, and admitted that she had a serious problem with procrastination.

She put off working on her Senior Project until the last minute, and as a result received a lower grade. Back when she was in college, her feelings around not doing the project and getting it in were a 10. However, the emotion that she had today when she reflected on how she put off her Senior Project was disappointment, with an intensity of 4.

We tapped on her disappointment for putting off doing her Senior Project, and her fear of doing it wrong.
Cindy had a rough time with her father when she was growing up, so I added that she had a problem with her father’s authority, and not just her father, but any authority, including her teachers. Then I pointed out that the State and the Feds are also an authority. We did the argumentative approach for several rounds in which she repeated,

“I want to turn my project in;”
“No, I don’t;”
“Yes, I do,” and a few,
“You can’t make me!”

We were able to get her disappointment about procrastinating on her Senior Project down to a zero, and she finally was able to laugh about it. Then I asked how anxious she felt about making an appointment with the tax preparer, and her anxiety had dropped from a 7 to a 2. At this point she added, “I only have one tax return and it has to be done on time—no choice.” However, she wasn’t comfortable making an appointment. So, we did the 9-gamut point, using “I hate authority,” and “You can’t make me!” as her reminder phrases. After that,she said she didn’t feel anxious about seeing the tax man. So, after three years of putting off doing her taxes, Cindy did make an appointment to see her tax person.

If you can’t make an appointment to see a tax person, you may want to contact me… I think I can help clear your blocks, and make it so you will be able to do your taxes.

This is the slideshow I created for the Easy Fermentation Class I will be teaching at the Ukiah Coop, Monday, April 11 from 6-7:30 pm.

Learn the basics of lacto-fermentation. Discover how to make sauerkraut that is ready in days instead of many weeks. If you decide to come, you’ll receive some recipes and get to taste delicious fermented foods.

My daughter, Christina, is less than a year away from completing her studies to become a licensed acupuncturist. While we were talking on the phone recently, she mentioned that she had an EFT story to share.

One of her fellow coworkers had a fear of needles. “Rosie” was uncomfortable being needled. It turns out that Belonephobia, or fear of needles, isn’t rare. About 10% of people experience it. (How much do you like being needled?)

Rosie was advised to see an acupuncture teacher who also uses (and teaches) EFT. Rosie was happy to give EFT a try. After just one session, Rosie was excited to say that she no longer feared needles. She was surprised that she was able to let go of her intense fear of needles so quickly, as she’d terrified of needles her whole life.

Christina said that she plans on using EFT with her clients to help them let go of their fear of needles (or whatever fears and anxieties they bring into the clinic). EFT is compatible with acupuncture as well as other healing modalities including Reiki, NLP, massage, chiropractic care and many, many more. Gary Craig said about EFT, try it on everything. Added to that phrase should be try itwitheverything.

When I took this photo a couple of days ago, I didn’t see the “Angel of Mercy” until after I downloaded it to my computer.

Even if we don’t see them, we are surrounded by angels and beings of light.

In this time of change, we know WE ARE ONE with ALL that is. We allow ourself to go with the flow. Love is as close as our breath. If we feel ourself being fearful, we remember to INHALE with this knowingness (LOVE is here NOW), and then we allow ourself to come back to center releasing the fear with our EXHALE. (This is the simplest form of Spiritual Alignment I know.)

If we aren’t able to release the fear with our breath, then we can use EFT to tap away any resistance.

Hi,
Are you interested in having some powerful classes in your center? Check out the possibilities listed below. The basis of my work is a knowingness of Who We All Are. I use Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to clear away resistance and blockages to our Essence.

I’m a Licensed Science of Mind Practitioner from the Mendocino Center for Spiritual Living, and author of Touched by a Miracle: EFT Healing Stories. FREE OFFER: PDF of my book to your center if you contact me before March 20.

I will be visiting San Diego once a month for a week or so to be with my 91 year old mother. During my visits, I am available to teach classes and for sessions. I will be back in San Diego March 29th for a week.

When I was in San Diego in February and part of March, I wasn’t sure how to help my mother, who had just lost her driver’s license because of memory issues. Here is how I used EFT and Treatment to deal with the situation.

Possible classes at your center:

Dealing with the Stress of World Events
…..Using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to clear fears
…..Treatment

I Love My Body Classes
……In the past this has been 4 classes every 2 weeks, but I could do it 1/month for 4 months
……I’ve lost 30 pounds and kept it off by
……Using EFT to clear the emotional causes of overeating
……Controlling sugar intake

Opening to the One Heart
……Using EFT in a group setting to clear deeply held old experiences/wounds
……I’ve done this class on the Transformation Cruise sponsored by Law of Attraction Radio
……Here are some YouTube videos of my workshop on the cruise—less than 10 minutes each
……JoAnn helps Sherry let go of guilt–her sister committed suicide 20 years previously http://youtu.be/SyZeiqonYpc
……JoAnn helps Janice let go of guilt http://youtu.be/aRKEymNqRCs

A Class Specifically for Your Group
…..We would need to talk about what your needs are
…..Let’s talk (707)-462-2501 if you have an idea or you want to heartstorm with me

I am open to possibilities…please give me a call for more information at 707-462-2501 or email me (use the comment box on my website to email me; or DM me on Twitter; or write on my wall on Facebook.)

Light and Love,
JoAnn SkyWatcher

Ps To learn more about my work, I will send you a PDF of my book, Touched by a Miracle: EFT Healing Stories. Please let me know where you would like me to send it.
www.JoAnnSkyWatcher.com
707-462-2501

I call my 91 year old mother every day (she lives alone 600 miles away). Recently I called her twice in the evening and wasn’t able to get through. The next morning, I called as soon as I got up. She told me that she had become quite ill and had been vomiting since the day before. I asked her if she had been drinking fluids, and she immediately put the phone down to get a drink of water. She forgot that I was on the phone. I couldn’t talk to her because she left the phone off the hook.

I called some of her neighbors and asked if they would check on her. Finding her confused, they ended up taking her to the hospital. After finding her a bit dehydrated but basically OK, she was released into the care of a friend who spent the night with her to make sure she was OK. Her friend called me that afternoon, saying I needed to come down immediately. I dropped everything and flew down the next day.

Soon after I arrived, I sat down with my mother and listened deeply to her. When she had become ill, she really thought she was dying. What shook her friends up was that when she went to the hospital she wasn’t wearing her false teeth, her hair was messed up, she was only wearing one sock and she was very disoriented. My mother always looks as nice as she can and it was shocking for her extended family to see her so unkempt. The next day I took her to a follow-up doctor appointment where she was given a memory test. She failed. The doctor was required to tell DMV, and my mom lost her driver’s license.

My mother’s extended family met with me twice, expressing their concern about her condition. They felt that I was in denial about her situation. They said they thought she needed to be moved to an assisted living facility, and gave me the name of one to see. (My mom has been living independently ever since her second husband passed away about 10 years ago. She still vacuums, washes the windows and walks every day.) When I visited the facility, and told them that my mom had mild memory issues, the representative said my mom would have to be locked down in the memory unit. She gave me a tour of the facility, and it broke my heart to see and smell where my mom would be. I made up my mind to make sure my mom would not have to go there.

During the meeting with my extended family, I told them that I wanted to find an angel to live with my mother – someone who had a big heart and would look out for my mom. They told me that they didn’t think I could find someone like that. They had been trying to find someone for an elder friend of theirs and had been unsuccessful.

So, I created a spiritual alignment (also known as a prayer treatment or affirmative prayer) for my mother:

I know there is an angel who lives in a room in my mother’s home in trade for being with my mom and helping her. I know she’s sensitive with a big heart, and loves to interact with my mother. This angel enjoys helping with meals and eating with my mother. She loves to play Scrabble with my mom. She loves walking together daily in the quiet neighborhood where my mom lives, and listening to the birds on the patio.

I know this is so as I release it into the Universe.

And so it is.

I let my spiritual center know my spiritual alignment, and they also prayed for my mother, too. I didn’t know how this scenario was going to work out, but I knew that it was in process. When I started having doubts about being able to find someone to help out, I used EFT to clear my resistance.

Some of the set-up phrases I used were,

Even though:
• People are telling me it is impossible to find someone trustworthy to help my mother out, and part of me believes them, I love and accept that part of me.
• I feel overwhelmed by all the things that I have to do, I love and accept myself.
• I get scared when I start thinking about all the negative possibilities that could happen with my mom…
• I live 600 miles from my mom, and she can’t live with us. I feel guilty that I am not doing more…

Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night with my doubts and fears, and I would tap them away. I tapped until I didn’t feel any energy around these issues.

I looked online for available senior services. I found Elderhelp.com has a program called Home Share in which seniors share a room in their home in trade for services. I scheduled an appointment immediately, and a representative found my mother suitable for the program. At the end of the consultation, the agent reported that she thought she knew of someone who would be a perfect match for my mother.

We met with the first prospect from the Home Share program, and it wasn’t a good fit. The second woman, “Maria,” was very sensitive. We all got along very well. Before she left, my mother asked her if she was an angel. To make a long story short, that woman is now living with my mother. We have become friends. She has been there for over two weeks as I write this. It is a good fit even though she isn’t a Scrabble player.

Maria has a big heart. I’ve been teaching her how to do EFT, and she has found it very helpful for her own life. Maria feels grateful to be with my mother, and I am grateful that she is there, too. It is a win-win.

Recently, I received the following email from Joyce, a friend who is also an author. I had seen her at a gathering several months ago. At the time, she was grieving the death of her husband. I mentioned that if she found herself stuck in grief I could help her get unstuck. The title of the email? Hmmmmm, I think I’m stuck! Here’s the email:

So I have this novel (I wrote) sitting here and I’ve started selling locally but I seem to be paralyzed with regards to the next step in advertising. I’ve just gotten a Twitter account and like so many things recently I’m drawing a blank as to what to say and how to handle what “might” come about from my advertising this book. I’ve dug into the issue and it “seems” as if I have this hesitancy because it “looks” like I’m moving on “too soon” after my husband’s death. I’m afraid I’m going to forget him and I can’t seem to face that. So I’m stuck and ready for help.

We scheduled a phone session for the following day. I asked her to print out a copy of my tapping chart, and to construct a positive affirmation written of what she wants in the present tense. I added that this positive affirmation should be only one or two sentences, including how she will feel when she gets what she wants.

During our phone session, Joyce shared that she felt as though her feet were in muddy cement when she thought about advertizing her new book. Sometimes, when she pushed herself too hard, she found herself in bed curled in the fetal position, sobbing with grief over her husband’s death. Joyce’s voice cracked as she started to cry. I suggested that as she talked, she tap along.

Joyce shared her concern about what people would think about her putting so much energy into her book with her husband being gone for only five months. Then she shared that she felt guilty because she had had the thought before he got really sick that it would be easier if he were dead. She also shared that she had a lack of faith in herself. Joyce had sold about 100 books to friends, and when she asked them what they thought, many said they hadn’t read it yet. She felt disappointed that no one seemed to be reading her book. She wondered whether they just bought her book to be nice to her. She didn’t feel supported.

Early on in our conversation, I asked Joyce what her positive statement was. Actually, this is a version of a technique I learned from Lindsay Kinny called the Ultimate Truth Statement. Her affirmation was:

I am happy about my accomplishment and excited to have many people read my book.

The intensity rating with an Ultimate Truth Statement is the opposite of what is used for EFT. Joyce shared that when she read her statement, it only felt like a 4. The goal was 10. My role was to uncover what was keeping her from experiencing her Ultimate Truth Statement as a 10 and clearing it from her energy system.

Joyce then realized how complex this issue is. She said she was feeling some shyness around sharing her book, and that she was feeling exposed. I asked how she felt exposed. She replied that while her book was fiction, some people were asking about the shamanic processes the character in the book was performing. Joyce didn’t usually share her personal shamanistic experiences (except through her fiction), and this person asked her directly about the process.

I asked Joyce what specifically she feared. She answered that she was afraid she wouldn’t live up to their expectations. She reflected that it was her old “I’m not as good” story. She detailed how her story had been perpetuated by the parents, partners and friends she chose. I agreed that it was an old story that she had adopted at a young age. Then I asked her to remember a time where something really big happened that made her feel she wasn’t good enough. She shared a story about when she was seven or eight years old and had accidentally broken her father’s favorite beer glass and two more plates while helping with the dishes. She was made wrong and wasn’t allowed to do dishes after that (doing dishes was a fun activity in her family). I said, “If this was a video, what title would make her laugh? (I like using humor to move energy). Her title was “What a Smashing Time.”

Then I asked her to repeat her Ultimate Truth Statement, and without even tapping it went from a 4 to a 5. Joyce had been holding on to this story her entire life, and the intensity level was a 10. For the set-up phrase, we started with Even though:

This is a story that I have held onto for a long time, and I don’t know that I can let it go. I accept the part of me that wants to hang on to this old story.

There is a part of me that is just so comfortable hanging on to being a victim. I accept that I have been holding on to this all of my life.

I don’t want to let go of this story. I have made my parents wrong for their behavior. I accept that I don’t want to let it go.

My parents were really unfair to make me wrong for breaking some dishes, and to not allow me to do the dishes with them. I accept that this happened.

The Reminder Phrase we used for the first round was “What a Smashing Time,” and I asked her say it while tapping each point. She laughed as she tapped. One round of tapping brought the intensity from a 10 to a 3! I asked Joyce if she had any insights, and she answered that she imagined her parents breaking dishes with her and all of them laughing about it. Then they all cleaned the mess up together. She did a creative reframe on her own. I asked her to say her positive statement with conviction and then assess what number it was at, and it had gone up to an 8!

Another round of tapping included:

I want to let this old story go

You can’t make me let it go

I choose to let this old story go

No one can make me let this go

I choose to let it go

This brought the intensity down to a 2. She realized her parents had given her a gift by not making her do the dishes, using the time to be creative. I then asked her to bless her water and as she took a drink to let go of the rest of this old story. Joyce said that she got a message as she drank the water from her husband that his passing had been a gift. She read her Ultimate Truth Statement and it was a 10! Joyce said she was ready to make a list of things to do about advertising her book. As she gazed out her window, she noted a difference in the shininess of the trees. Joyce felt renewed!

This is a short video that will be part of the 2011 Tapfest Video Quilt. I believe this is the third year of the Tapfest, and this is the first year that tappers from all over the world can send in their video to be part of the project. The official date for the event is January 20–every year.

I love the interviews that Jorge Cruise does with these famous doctors. Dr. Oz reveals the broken organ driving female cancers, Dr. Northrup shares the vitamin you need more of, Dr. Weil explains how foods can slow the aging process, and Dr. Perricone gives you his single step to looking beautiful.

This is a first in a series of Minders. An affirmation is a positive statement that is consciously, repeated to get a desired result. Minders* are affirmations.

I have distributed thousands of Minders* in the form of bookmarkers. When I worked at Mendocino Volkswagen, I gave them to all of my customers. It was a gift that I knew would keep on giving.

“Thoughts are seeds” is an excellent reminder that whatever we think is planted in our subconscious mind and will grow. Our desire and emotions work like fertilizer to make our thoughts grow into reality. If we think how unlucky we are, or how nothing ever goes right, guess what happens in our life? Thought is unlimited, and whatever we think we create for ourselves. Pay attention to what you think and say, and if it is not what you want in your life, lovingly replace the old thought with the new affirmation for what you do want.

How to use this Minder*. Put it where you will see it often (near your bed, by the telephone, on a mirror, on your file cabinet or desk, on your refrigerator, or on your dashboard. Think and say it often. It could help you to get everything you want.

Lightly pulse the above ingredients in food processor. Or chop w/ knife. (I like it chunky). Stir in ½ c. raisins (that have been soaked).

Put in clean wide mouth jar. Push down on the mixture lightly to make sure liquid is above other ingredients. Put lid on. Let ferment for 48 hours—then refrigerate. I use this as a condiment, and only use a couple of tablespoons as a serving.

If EFT has seemed too difficult for you to tackle on your own, Tap n Bitch is a simplified version of EFT. If you have had a problem with how to make a set-up phrase (“Even though I have this problem…”), you don’t need one with Tap n Bitch. Many people, after watching this video, are able to follow my simple instructions and get immediate relief.

(An affirmation is a positive statement that is consciously, repeated to get a desired result. Minders* are affirmations.)

Have you ever been in a situation in which you were extremely fearful? Recently, I was participating in a class in which I was to present some assigned material. After studying the information for several hours I was not clear as to how I was going to make my presentation.

The teacher called on the first student. As she was speaking I looked down at my sketchy notes, and watched her as she delivered her well prepared speech. Tension in my jaw, and shoulders became almost unbearable. Thoughts of being unprepared filled by head, as wishes of being somewhere else danced in my mind. As the next speaker spoke I became aware that fear was overtaking me. However, it was not too late to come up with a game plan.

First, I became aware of the fear in my mind and body. Then I imagined love surrounding the fear. Immediately, the tension in my shoulders and jaw melted away as the feeling of love warmed by body. Next, by relaxing my mind I opened myself to the infinite wisdom that we can all draw from. Calmly jotting down my outline, clarity replaced my earlier confusion. When my turn came to speak, I spoke from my heart. Confidence and ease were in my voice. Remembering to encircle my feeling of fear with love worked for me and can work for you.

Remember to be aware of your feelings and thoughts. When feeling fear, accept that feeling, and then surround it with love. If fearful thoughts persist: Be in the moment, and get in touch with the love that you have within you.

We are entering the National Eating Season, which goes from Halloween until Super Bowl Sunday in late January or early February. My article, Using EFT for Balanced Eating, is in the Conscious Inspired Living’s October online magazine. In the article, I give examples of how you can use EFT to avoid binge eating during the holidays.

In a large bowl, place your hand-sized pieces of kale. Add lemon and olive oil. This is the fun part—massage the kale with one of your hand. Massage the leaves for a couple of minutes (if you wish, you can use a latex glove) until they are limp and it looks like it half the volume.

I used an 8×8 baking container to mix the pulverized sunflower seed meal, and nutritional yeast. If you like things spicy, add some cayenne. This container was great for dipping the leaves into.

Dip each leaf into the sunflower-nutritional yeast mixture. One time, I used my hands to dip each kale leaf into the sunflower-nutritional yeast mixture. I ended up with lots of coating on my fingers. You may want to use tongs if you don’t want to get your fingers messy.

Dehydrate. Or you can use your over at 350 degrees until crispy.

Note: I love kale, and love growing it. Kale grows year round where I live in northern California. In fact, if you have it established in a winter garden, the frost improves the flavor. Personally, I like to harvest a leaf or two from each plant instead of taking a whole plant.

Friday, August 27th I had a book signing at the Mendocino Bookshop in the village of Mendocino. This was my first “on land” book signing (I did sign books on the Law of Attraction Transformation Cruise) for Touched by a Miracle: EFT Healing Stories. It is 50 of my favorite healing stories using the power of EFT and Spirit.

Here’s a picture from the signing.

JoAnn reading one of her stories from “Touched by a Miracle: EFT Healing Stories”

Anthony Brice and I had a lot of fun on his Six Degrees Blog Talk Radio Show. Besides talking about my book, Touched by a Miracle: EFT Healing Stories, Anthony decided to use a real problem to show his listeners how EFT works. He had eaten too much bread pudding for lunch 8 hours earlier and had a bellyache. We used EFT and bingo the uneasiness disappeared. If you have some kind of pain, you can tap along, and your pain may lessen, too. Here’s a link to the show.

Well, I’ve contemplated on this for awhile and I have decided to follow through with it. I am accepting Love Offerings. It may seem a little strange that I am making it possible for you to give me money. My mother would probably call it begging, but I choose to call it a gift.

If you decide to make a donation to me, it will help me out on my end, and will allow me to continue to do what I so love to do–my seva (service)–which is to inspire you through my words, quotes and pictures.

Interested in losing weight? Have you been eating too much lately and haven’t been able to do anything about it? If so, I can help. I have lost 30 pounds and kept it off for over a year without dieting. How have I done it? Using a process called EFT.

When you release the core emotional issues that are causing overeating, then losing weight and keeping it off is easy. I am really good at helping people find the emotional cause of overeating by asking the right questions and trusting my intuition.

I’ve created the I Love My Body Club on Facebook to create a community for people who would like to love their body more. Join the I Love My Body Club on Facebook now.

The last 10 months, my focus has been on helping my beloved husband, Steve, heal.

Towards the end of 2012, Steve had some growths on his neck (and other places) that were growing rapidly. He decided to go with an oncologist in Santa Cruz. He was told that there was a 70% cure rate with the type of Lymphoma that he had. His first 4 chemo sessions seems to go well–in fact, he was declared cancer free. However, his 5th and 6th chemo treatments took him to the depths of hell. He got an infection in his blood and had to spend 9 days in the hospital. Things never really got better…

He knew that he didn’t want to go back to the hospital ever again. So, he stayed at home.

One Hospice volunteer wrote to me that “Steve was a teacher until he left this earth. Steve taught me how to face death with grace and courage.”

Steve crossed over September 14, 2013.

Here are six poems that Steve wrote back in December, when he realized that he was dealing with something that was life threatening.

Eat life with both hands
Rip off huge hunks
Rend each day into savory hunks
Relish and drool over each moment
Holler with utter abandon at the absurd joy
That living full out brings

This motley stew of memories,
Always fading like a sepia photo of
no one in particular

This relentless cascade of seasons and friends
And beauty, and death, of loving and being loved

12.18.12

What else is there to say?
Have I told you about the time
I skipped through countless
Lives In the blink of a crooked smile?

Or the universe in which
All I seemed to do was
Scatter stars like seeds and
Watch them grow into lovely
Little universes of their own?

This life has galloped by
Like a horse bolting
From the stable where
Old stories rot into clear air.

Where fantasies of fear Molder,
But jesus people eat ‘em.

This moment rocks my world
Scatters tears like fireworks
Hammers my despair into yesterday
Leaves me gasping like the first
Fish to head up the beach…

12.19.12

We chatter our stories
Like drunken chipmunks
Ignoring winter lolling
About in the warm sun
Convincing ourselves that
The wolf is at someone else’s door

This random collection of scratching
Signifying communication but
Really only holding back tomorrow’s
Tide for an eye-blink, a breath,
One lingering kiss before good-night…

12.19.12

One day as I’m walking along
Dazed and confused
The staff of life
Thocks up the back of my head

The old guy wielding the staff
Sermons spittle mad as Donald
Messes with my concentration
Makes me lose my place in the day

Knocks me clear into next week
Where I’ll be having a blast
Going on about some past life
That never was…

Dazed and confused, what a comfort
I think, ignorance, bliss, it’s all
The same when the light gets
Bright enough and invites me home…

12.19.12

Our many lives swim like dolphins
I the endless inland sea

Surfacing to spin and play as Innocents,
starfields sparkling through ocean depths,
Why lie under the ancient sky
Oohing at the falling stars
Wondering who they are,
Could be brothers from another mother
Or an old friend just passing by

Oh these lives so precious
We just eat ‘em up
Suck out the marrow
Good to the last drop

We’ve played through the eons
Danced our lives away under those stars
Let’s go soon, I think, infinity is waiting

12.19.12

Live Your Meditation Like it is Going Out of Style

When I woke up in heaven
Throngs were rushing breathlessly about
Offering greetings and hugs like long-lost lovers

My own throng near knocked me down
In their enthusiasm like big dogs
Filled with incomprehensible quantities
Of puppy-like adulation and unconditional love

“Wait a second!” I squeaked feeling
Overwhelmed and a tiny bit shy
”Give me some space” just as everyone
Laughed and moved back a smidgen

When I caught my metaphorical breath
And looked around and saw everyone I’ve ever
Loved (well, those who predeceased us) smiling
And laughing and nudging each other, saying, “Wow!
Steve’s here… let the party commence!!!”

And so it came to pass that we partied
Our asses off until the cows came home
(assless as well… didn’t realize that
Cows partied that hard).

Then every part of me got loved up,
Adored, appreciated and forgiven, as though it
Had never happened, because, as it turns out,
The only thing that ever REALLY happens
Is the love we give and the love we receive.

So before your time on this zany funhouse
We call Earth has drawn to a close
(game over!) make sure you love with your
Whole heart—let it break open and love em
Bigger—there is never, ever to much love,
(and conveniently, don’t you think?) it’s the only thing
We take with us, as it’s always and forever
Our birth and death right…